There’s no perfect recipe for how to be a good girlfriend. After all, that would make life too easy. With that being said, however, there are certain things you can and should be doing that indicate whether you’re healthily contributing to your relationship. The following signs will reveal if you’re being a supportive, caring girlfriend. And if these don’t seem applicable to your relationship, then it may be time to re-evaluate whether you’re doing everything you can to build your partner up.
- You’re genuinely interested in his passions. You don’t need to necessarily share the same interests as your man in order to have a healthy relationship. But you should be genuinely interested and supportive of his interests. It may be boring to listen to him talk about cars again and again, but seeing how excited it makes him should make it feel worth it.
- You love getting dolled up for him. You don’t need to put on a full face of makeup or your best outfit for him every day. In fact, if he expects that, then that’s not a good sign. But just like you appreciate when he puts a little bit of effort into his look, it works the same way. You should want to put your best foot forward every now and then to remind him exactly how lucky he is to have you.
- You don’t compare him to your exes. If you’re constantly bringing up your past relationships, or even worse, comparing your current beau to exes, then it’s a sign you’re not fully satisfied with the relationship. It’s also bound to take a hit at your man’s confidence, even if you’re telling him that he’s your best BF yet. Rather, a sign of maturity is if you can leave previous relationships in the past. Recognize that your current relationship is different and don’t hold your man to unreasonable standards.
- You’re supportive of his goals. Even if it seems like he’s reaching for the clouds, a good girlfriend will always go the extra mile to support her man’s dreams. That doesn’t just mean words of encouragement – actions speak louder than words, after all. Both of you should actively be working to help the other reach their goals, and similarly, you should both celebrate each other’s accomplishments as though they’re your own.
- You’re open to trying new things. Being adventurous is sexy whereas constantly shooting down your boyfriend’s ideas is frustrating. You should be willing to step out of your comfort zone a little bit and try new things, especially if it’s something your man really wants to do. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should put yourself in an uncomfortable position. Just like you need to respect his boundaries, he must do the same.
- You get along with his friends (even the females). It’s unreasonable to expect that you’ll love all of your boyfriend’s friends, but at the very least, you should put in the effort to be on amicable terms with his social group. You don’t want to interfere with his friendships, just like you wouldn’t want him to do the same. Don’t be jealous or possessive, especially if he has close female friends. If you have an issue with his friends, it’s okay to bring it up, but make sure to do so in a respectful and mature way. Think about how you’d want him to react if he was in a similar situation.
- You’re direct about your feelings. Too often women are portrayed as being passive-aggressive or playing games when it comes to their emotions. Don’t wait for him to guess when you’re upset. Rather, be direct with him. This shows maturity and confidence. Even more, getting your issues out on the table will help you both resolve them faster in comparison to if you’d just kept them bottled up.
- You don’ try to change him. Whether you’re a guy or gal, if you’re trying to change your significant other, then chances are the relationship isn’t headed in a healthy direction. A good girlfriend accepts her boyfriend for who he is. You may not agree with all of his choices, and you should certainly not be afraid to call him out on bad behaviour. But you shouldn’t be trying to mould him into something he’s not. Love him for who he is or let him go.
- You don’t act like you’re attached at the hip. Many women are portrayed as being clingy, and even though you might like being with him 24/7, it’s important that you both let each other have space. It’s important you both lead your own lives apart from each other. Understand there are times when his work or the other people in his life will require his attention. In these situations, be supportive and understanding.
- You know how to calm him down. Just like you expect him to be your shoulder to cry on, he wants the same in return, even if he doesn’t verbalize it. A good girlfriend knows exactly what to say to calm him down in a stressful situation or what to do to boost his mood when he’s low. This shows that you’re perceptive and in tune with his emotions, both of which are signs of a strong bond.